What do all of you think of this stuff? It seems that across the web opinions range from "healer of disturbed land" to maple syrup source (apparently someone has tried this?!) to weedy junk tree to invasive species (eastern Europe, old pastures). Grows everywhere, and fast, but especially in heavier soils. Just curious what all of your thoughts are. If it was/is growing in your woods, do you let it be or remove it?
Boxelder
- Thread starter almanac12
- Start date
j-bird
Moderator
First of all it is in the maple family - sometimes called a "swamp maple" because it really likes wet soils. They are very prolific (produce many winged seed like other maples) and grow fast. I have hinged many of the smaller one - the larger ones won't hinge they simply snap. The wood is crap for firewood and they tend to not grow straight on my place or get big enough for timber.....so they are pretty much worthless until you make them cover. The wood is very light in color except for the heart wood that will range from a black to a purple color. I don't see deer browsing on them either. The only place I see them bring of much value would be along stream banks to stabilize the bank. They will also stump sprout so you can turn a tree into a shrub easily for cover if so desired.
rocksnstumps
5 year old buck +
I have a patch of them near a road. They are a weak tree like silver maple and wind storms will bust them up and create a bit of a tangled mess. In that spot I leave them alone, they are ok cover. Other areas that I see them trying to take up sunlight on the edge of the woods they get whacked. Go after the ones you see with seeds first. There are male and female trees for this variety.
S.T.Fanatic
5 year old buck +
We cut and treat everyone we have time to do. As many of them as we have there will NEVER be enough time.
SWIFFY
5 year old buck +
My whole area is filled with Boxelder. I agree with much of whats said above. I like them for the reason that they grow fast and in an open area like im in, provide cover and a tree for a stand in short time. Problem is everytime we have high winds, a PILE of them go down. I burn a lot of wood and they are good firewood. Easy to get, mid grade wood better than basswood or cottonwood but nothing like oak or ash. Ive never seen any wildlife eat them.
I like the boxelder, but id never plant them intentionally. Theyre better than Chinese Elm IMO!
I like the boxelder, but id never plant them intentionally. Theyre better than Chinese Elm IMO!
I carry a bottle of Tordon to treat each and every box elder tree that is cut on my land. I just noticed a couple of box elders that snuck into a row of pine trees that provides a screen on one of my borders. They immediately went on my list to be eradicated ASAP. Worthless trees, none of my friends who burn wood want anything to do with them.
I have seen the deer nip the terminal buds off of them over winter / early spring. They just come back during the growing season and get over 5' with no help, tons of weeds, etc. in 2 - 3 years.
I have lots of them go down in storms in the woods. In an open field they generally will hold up.
Last edited:
Bill Loser
5 year old buck +
I am unlucky enough to have a whole yard full of them. I would second everything said so far..... but they do make for pretty good syrup. Tried it this year and haven't found anyone who doesn't like it yet. Just be ready to cook ALOT of sap.
cavey
5 year old buck +
We'll apart from being a bit of a pain - they are far from evil, and have a place in a good habitat design plan where you are striving for diversity, as they typically are able to tip over and remain alive - limb rooting, they do make pretty awesome living horizontal cover along field edges especially those where your trying to feather out the woods line...
I saw a article where someone was standing up for the beaten down tree....
"The rest of the reasons we don’t like box elders are, ironically, the very reasons that we should love them. Box elders are scrappy and hard to kill, and they drop leaves and fruits even into the winter. Leaves and fruits (and box elder bugs) may be annoying to homeowners who have to clean them up, but they are absolutely crucial to the ecosystem as a whole. Many different types of wildlife rely on those fruits and leaves that persist on the tree, especially late in the season when food supplies become scarce. The list of wildlife that depends on box elders to survive the winter is so long that I will share only one of the most special figures with you now. There are 285 species of Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) that depend on box elder to survive their caterpillar stage. If we say good-bye to box elders, we might as well say good-bye to almost three hundred species of moths and butterflies! Keep in mind that insects and caterpillars are the largest diet component of insectivorous birds and that the populations of most bird species are limited by food availability. Fewer box elders means fewer insects which translates into fewer birds which has the potential to crash the whole food web."
Just food for thought,... in the past I have cut up most of the ones I have on my property thinking of them as a trash tree but as my goals for the property have changed from farming the land to CRP and promoting wildlife I've made a habit of leaving a few of the trees - a tangled mess of a tree, it is - which may be aesthetically unpleasant to the human eye but still has some value... The whole discussion reminds me of the milk weed plant, in the past the NRCS has made me clip and kill the plant or risk being kicked out of my government programs because its was considered a worthless and essentially noxious weed to this spring where they are paying me (cost sharing) to plant it.
I saw a article where someone was standing up for the beaten down tree....
"The rest of the reasons we don’t like box elders are, ironically, the very reasons that we should love them. Box elders are scrappy and hard to kill, and they drop leaves and fruits even into the winter. Leaves and fruits (and box elder bugs) may be annoying to homeowners who have to clean them up, but they are absolutely crucial to the ecosystem as a whole. Many different types of wildlife rely on those fruits and leaves that persist on the tree, especially late in the season when food supplies become scarce. The list of wildlife that depends on box elders to survive the winter is so long that I will share only one of the most special figures with you now. There are 285 species of Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) that depend on box elder to survive their caterpillar stage. If we say good-bye to box elders, we might as well say good-bye to almost three hundred species of moths and butterflies! Keep in mind that insects and caterpillars are the largest diet component of insectivorous birds and that the populations of most bird species are limited by food availability. Fewer box elders means fewer insects which translates into fewer birds which has the potential to crash the whole food web."
Just food for thought,... in the past I have cut up most of the ones I have on my property thinking of them as a trash tree but as my goals for the property have changed from farming the land to CRP and promoting wildlife I've made a habit of leaving a few of the trees - a tangled mess of a tree, it is - which may be aesthetically unpleasant to the human eye but still has some value... The whole discussion reminds me of the milk weed plant, in the past the NRCS has made me clip and kill the plant or risk being kicked out of my government programs because its was considered a worthless and essentially noxious weed to this spring where they are paying me (cost sharing) to plant it.
My neighbors don't do anything to their box elder trees. They grow right along our mutual property line. Every time there is a storm, trees fall over onto my side of the line. I have asked the neighbors to clean up THEIR fallen trees but they do nothing. So it ends up on me to clean up a mess that is another persons responsibility. I simply cut them into manageable sizes and toss them right back over the property line onto the neighbors land. Since the stump is on the other side of the property line, I can't even treat it to prevent more box elders from growing. I am not happy about having to spend time and money on this job that could be put to other uses.
Tree Spud
5 year old buck +
If you are hinging them for browse ... they are an invasive weed ... just like Buckthorn ...
Interesting range of comments thus far...
-Remove when possible.
-Should be replaced with something better.
-Interfere / compete with more desirable trees. Weedy.
-Damage liability in storms.
-Can be hinged for deer bedding.
-Useful for screening on edges and boundaries.
-Can be left alone in some areas for diversity.
-Potential limited deer browse or browse for other wildlife.
-Remove when possible.
-Should be replaced with something better.
-Interfere / compete with more desirable trees. Weedy.
-Damage liability in storms.
-Can be hinged for deer bedding.
-Useful for screening on edges and boundaries.
-Can be left alone in some areas for diversity.
-Potential limited deer browse or browse for other wildlife.
I've watched boxelders slowly expand on properties I've hunted and the results are always bad for wildlife (at least the wildlife I'm interested in). Boxelders seem to really thrive on taking over old plum thickets and apple orchards and eventually they shade out and kill the more valuable shrubs and fruit trees. Thick fencelines filled with good shrubs turn into dead zones once boxelders expand and shade out the better trees and shrubs.
If boxelders were good for wildlife they would be sold by the state nurseries.
I will however say that the big old boxelders form decent cover once they are cut down. I do have a bunch of large boxelders still standing because I like to drop a couple each year to add new ground cover periodically. I generally plant something better in their place once they are down though.
If boxelders were good for wildlife they would be sold by the state nurseries.
I will however say that the big old boxelders form decent cover once they are cut down. I do have a bunch of large boxelders still standing because I like to drop a couple each year to add new ground cover periodically. I generally plant something better in their place once they are down though.
shawnv
5 year old buck +
If you are hinging them for browse ... they are an invasive weed ... just like Buckthorn ...
I could not agree with you more and disagree with you more at the same time. They can grow like weeds but are nothing like Buckthorn. They are something you need to control though.
I'm going to second this comment. Buckthorn creates deserts and leaves a vigorous seed bank. Cut and treat an acre of it and you'll have an acre of buckthorn seedlings the next year. It's spread rapidly by birds. Nothing will grow underneath a buckthorn thicket.
Tree Spud
5 year old buck +
Many people think Buckthorn is similar to an ornamental crab tree, pretty flowers in the spring and berries the birds love to eat ... it too just needs to be managed.
I like how we are discussing/debating 2 of the most least disiearable tree/shrubs species a property could have. there are others like honeysuckle,sumac, etc.
Good luck if you think box elder has benefits, it is a 3rd tier spies hardwood with little of no value. I will always remove it to favor other hardwood/shrub growth & regeneration.
I have spent many years removing invasives to try and establish long term beneficial trees, shrubs, & other plants.You can cheapen your efforts and seek short term gains, I look at the long term prospects & helth of my land ...
https://islandpress.org/book/for-the-health-of-the-land
If your land only supports a tree like this ... accept its results or sell the property